If You Can Spare A Good Thought For Nube.it's Osteo.xrays

[Guest MorganKonaAlex]

bloody urine is a possible side effect so they recommend having him drink more water and taking him out more often..

 

I updated your other thread but then your water comment jogged a memory. Cytoxan irritates the bladder so that's why you want to flush the system. You want to minimize the time it sits in the bladder.

[MachosMom]

I dont have advice, just lots of hugs and support for you guys. Macho and I are rooting for Nube!

[carronstar]

Does Nube like ice cubes? Even if he just plays with them he will get a little bit of fluid in with each cube. I know that isn't enough but ounces can be cumulative so every little bit helps. Maybe some chicken broth cubes?

[galgrey]

You and Nube are in my thoughts and prayers. I've not been through osteo, but I've been through hemangio with two dogs and I know how hard it is. I did the raw protein diet with Hannah and she did really well on it, but was not on chemo.

[Cully]

Kim,

to Nube

I use chicken quarters I can get them for $0.99 # I just take the skin off. cook for 24/36 hrs and the take my potato masher to then. The bones just crush up.

[RaineysMom]

Kim,

to Nube

I use chicken quarters I can get them for $0.99 # I just take the skin off. cook for 24/36 hrs and the take my potato masher to then. The bones just crush up.

 

Hugs back at you and Havoc!! :grouphug

 

do you cook them on the stove or in a crock pot? I know Ellen Paulus does turkey necks in the crock pot (3 days cooking).

[Xan]

No advice. Just more hugs and good thoughts. Wishing you both comfort!!

:bighug

[juliemac]

gentle hugs!

[Guest cashie]

Never enough hugs.....so here's some from me too! Good luck to Nube with the chemo and a good weekend:)

[Cully]

Kim,

to Nube

I use chicken quarters I can get them for $0.99 # I just take the skin off. cook for 24/36 hrs and the take my potato masher to then. The bones just crush up.

 

Hugs back at you and Havoc!! :grouphug

 

do you cook them on the stove or in a crock pot? I know Ellen Paulus does turkey necks in the crock pot (3 days cooking).

 

I cook them in the roast 30# at a time. All my hounds get some.

[GreytHurleyDawg]

I am just checking for a pupdate on Nubers. I don't think there is another thread somewhere but I could be wrong.

 

By the way, Greytalkers, I got to meet Anubis on Friday and never have I seen a happier or more well-adjusted hound. I didn't see him walk but he certainly was the king of the slumberball. We can all take lessons from the wisdom of a greyhound...they can shine through the good, the bad and love life for life itself.

 

How is it going?

[racindog]

For Nuber:

[RaineysMom]

I am just checking for a pupdate on Nubers. I don't think there is another thread somewhere but I could be wrong.

 

By the way, Greytalkers, I got to meet Anubis on Friday and never have I seen a happier or more well-adjusted hound. I didn't see him walk but he certainly was the king of the slumberball. We can all take lessons from the wisdom of a greyhound...they can shine through the good, the bad and love life for life itself.

 

How is it going?

 

he (and Larry, you sure got kissed to death by him!) sure was happy to see you guys! you really brightened his day. We're hoping he's doing well enough this weekend to have his Aunt Susan and (real) sister Noelle and 1/2 brother Oscar come down to stay overnight.

For Nuber:

 

awww, thanks Donna! back at you from Mr. Nubers

 

he's hanging in there, got his 2nd chemo yesterday and seemed to be a bit off, not feeling too good...maybe he was just a little nauseated. He didn't eat his breakfast (1st time EVER) but I really put a LOT of water in it (so that he pees a lot and gets the chemo out of the bladder faster) so maybe that's why -- but ate lunch and dinner fine.

 

hopefully he continues to have little (or NO!) side effects from this, because if he does, I'm going to insists (to Bruce) to stop it If it's going to cause issues with his appetite (especially) then I won't keep him on it -- eating is about all he has left that he enjoys I'd rather have less time that was quality, with him feeling well, than more with him feeling like crap (if that happens)..

 

I made a ton of chicken yesterday (10#'s boiled, just the meat and 10# of legs cooking in a crock pot for 3 days until all was mush) and a batch of Liver Squares (boil liver for 10 minutes then cook at 250 for 10 minutes per side, then cube up -- YUM)....so they're enjoying all my homemade food and goodies. That makes Mom feel really good I've been cooking so much for them I'm too tired to cook for us

 

thanks for checking in!

[MachosMom]

Aww! Big hugs to you and Nube from Macho and I also!

[nancy14]

Kim, it's so nice to see an encouraging update.

[TwiggysMom]

First, I'm sorry I've been off the radar for a while. I have been following Nube's story.

 

Twiggy has been getting Cytoxan since early February. (although I've taken her off of it due to reactions to other meds at times, and she is off it currently while waiting for her ulcers to fully heal). Her dose is quite high compared to other hounds I know. She gets 12 mg 3 days/week, and weight 53.5 pounds. Typically, I hear of hounds getting 10mg - and that is for 70-80 pound males. Even on this dose, she has not had any noticeable side effects. (we isolated her other issues to Palladia and Metacam).

 

Also, regarding Cytoxan, I know exactly how scary those discharge papers sound!! I had done all my research, and thought "OK, this is alright", and then read how I had to flush her waste down the toilet, wasn't allowed to let her urinate where any other creature could possibly walk (riiiight, in the middle of Chicago....), etc. I called the oncologist's office and asked about this, and they told me those notes were written more in the context of the type of high-dose iv chemo that humans would get, and to just use common sense. I told them little kids live by me and I'm next to my animal hospital - there is no way I can avoid all potential contact. They assured me this would not be a problem as long as I was reasonably conscientious about it. (If she pees in the grass, water it down a bit; try to pick up her stools as cleanly as possible. If I clean up vomit, make sure I wash my hands well after, just normal common-sense stuff.) I know they say to always use gloves for handling. I have an aversion to those things, so I just carefully drop one capsule into the cap of the pill bottle, then carefully dump that pill onto a clump of shredded chicken, top it with another clump of chicken, mash it together and give it to her. I haven't had a problem yet! I figure, if she's eating it, how bad can it be for me to maybe have a tiny bit of casual contact with it? (maybe that's short-sighted).

 

I do give her 1 omeprazole (generic Prilosec) daily on non-cytoxan days, and 2 omeprazole (1 am, 1 pm) on cytoxan days. It is supposed to help minimize gi upset from the cytoxan (and anything else, but it sure didn't prevent ulcers from the Metacam, which it should have done).

 

Anyway, I'm being long-winded as usual. I completely understand taking him off anything that causes him any issues. I've done this several times now with Twiggy. There is no way I'll knowingly make her sick.

 

Nube sure is eating well!! He (and Larry) must be loving all your cooking! You've gotten good suggestions for less expensive meat options. I'll also mention my latest kick - split chicken breasts with ribs - I've been able to get these for 99cents/lb at both Jewel and Aldi. They are the best meat/bone ratio I've found for the money, and they are easy to skin/de-bone before cooking, too (especially important to vegeterian-me!).

 

Sending kisses to Nube! I'm not sure if you were going to try to attend Midwest's reunion in a couple weeks. If you do, I'd love to see you all!

[Cully]

[TheFullHouse]

Just checking in to see how your precious boy is doing. Glad to see him hanging in there.

[carronstar]

Checking in on Nube today.

[RaineysMom]

First, I'm sorry I've been off the radar for a while. I have been following Nube's story.

 

Twiggy has been getting Cytoxan since early February. (although I've taken her off of it due to reactions to other meds at times, and she is off it currently while waiting for her ulcers to fully heal). Her dose is quite high compared to other hounds I know. She gets 12 mg 3 days/week, and weight 53.5 pounds. Typically, I hear of hounds getting 10mg - and that is for 70-80 pound males. Even on this dose, she has not had any noticeable side effects. (we isolated her other issues to Palladia and Metacam).

 

Also, regarding Cytoxan, I know exactly how scary those discharge papers sound!! I had done all my research, and thought "OK, this is alright", and then read how I had to flush her waste down the toilet, wasn't allowed to let her urinate where any other creature could possibly walk (riiiight, in the middle of Chicago....), etc. I called the oncologist's office and asked about this, and they told me those notes were written more in the context of the type of high-dose iv chemo that humans would get, and to just use common sense. I told them little kids live by me and I'm next to my animal hospital - there is no way I can avoid all potential contact. They assured me this would not be a problem as long as I was reasonably conscientious about it. (If she pees in the grass, water it down a bit; try to pick up her stools as cleanly as possible. If I clean up vomit, make sure I wash my hands well after, just normal common-sense stuff.) I know they say to always use gloves for handling. I have an aversion to those things, so I just carefully drop one capsule into the cap of the pill bottle, then carefully dump that pill onto a clump of shredded chicken, top it with another clump of chicken, mash it together and give it to her. I haven't had a problem yet! I figure, if she's eating it, how bad can it be for me to maybe have a tiny bit of casual contact with it? (maybe that's short-sighted).

 

I do give her 1 omeprazole (generic Prilosec) daily on non-cytoxan days, and 2 omeprazole (1 am, 1 pm) on cytoxan days. It is supposed to help minimize gi upset from the cytoxan (and anything else, but it sure didn't prevent ulcers from the Metacam, which it should have done).

 

Anyway, I'm being long-winded as usual. I completely understand taking him off anything that causes him any issues. I've done this several times now with Twiggy. There is no way I'll knowingly make her sick.

 

Nube sure is eating well!! He (and Larry) must be loving all your cooking! You've gotten good suggestions for less expensive meat options. I'll also mention my latest kick - split chicken breasts with ribs - I've been able to get these for 99cents/lb at both Jewel and Aldi. They are the best meat/bone ratio I've found for the money, and they are easy to skin/de-bone before cooking, too (especially important to vegeterian-me!).

 

Sending kisses to Nube! I'm not sure if you were going to try to attend Midwest's reunion in a couple weeks. If you do, I'd love to see you all!

 

he's getting 25 mg of the Cytoxan every other day, and he's 80 #'s...and they said THAT was a low dose, so again, more inconsistencies between doctors!

 

he gets the Pepcid (20mg) along with the Cytoxan in the morning, only on the days he's getting the Cytoxan. We've been hiding his Tramadol and Gabapentin in liver sausage, and just today he decided no more liver sausage he's on to us. Going to have to find something else. He snubbed the Cytoxan in a Pill Pocket this morning too, so that's out now too. He finally took both sets of pills with some peanut butter on it.

 

I don't know if he'll be well enough to go to MW reunion it would probably be too much for him but we'll see.

 

we're having an issue now with Larry, which we do not need.

[Xan]

Checking in, and sorry to see you're getting to some of the inevitable bumps in the road. Can you just stick the pills down his throat, and follow up with treats?? At least that way you don't have to worry that he'll accidentally bite into them and taste the nastiness. Some dogs are easier with this than others, so I'll wish you luck with the pill-sticking!

 

Good thoughts to Larry, too! And hugs all around. :bighug

[Wiscogreysmom]

Continued good thoughts for Nube and all of you.

[carronstar]

Keeping you, Nube and Larry in my thoughts and prayers.

[MachosMom]

((((hugs))))

[RaineysMom]

hi guys --

 

this sure has been a bad week for the osteo pups :( my heart is breaking for Cully and for Macho's mom

 

at this point, with so many that were diagnosed within days of Nube gone now, I am feeling both glad that he's still here and doing fairly well but sad too, like it's not fair to all the others that they lost their battle hard to explain.

 

Nube is soldiering on, so far the chemo hasn't produced much side effects (KNOCK ON WOOD) -- he's eating fine, no vomiting, his daily pee checks are looking good (no blood) -- Bruce made a pretty darn good pee catcher out of a 8 oz clear deli cup, 1/2 a broomstick and duct tape (what CAN'T you do with duct tape???). My neighbors now know for sure I AM deranged, following this big limping dog inspecting his pee well, I guess it might look better than me poking through poo with a stick looking for foreign objects to clear (Rainey I'm talking about YOU).

 

he was doing well enough last night that we actually WALKED to the park and he went about 1/4 of the way and then back home. Hope we didn't push him, but at this point, it's one of the things he truly loves and if it makes him feel better mentally, then we have to risk a small setback, I guess. He seems no worse for wear this morning.

 

we're having a very bizarre issue with Larry (another post in H&M) and we're hoping we can straighten it out quickly.

 

the plan for the weekend is still to have his Aunt Susan come with his (real) sister Noelle and his 1/2 bro Oscar this weekend for a overnight stay on Saturday...hopefully it will brighten his weekend some. I know I sure can use it! If he's doing well enough on Saturday we may all go over to our local winery (Lynfred, in Roselle) and do a tasting -- they have an enclosed gazebo we can bring beds into and they can hang out with us there (we're still not leaving Nube alone).

 

anyway, thanks for checking in and give your pups a big kissie from Nubers.